Mine-catcher and ship-protector.



M. FELLER.

MINE CATCHER AND SHIP PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION HLED AUG. 4. I916.

1 ,21 9,929. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I M. FELLER.

MINE CATCHER AND SHIP PROTECTOR.

kPPLICATlON FILED AUG.4. 1919.-

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. FELLER.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

MICHEL rnLL nR, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

MIN E-CATCHER AND SHIP-PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Mar. 20, 191 7.

Application filed August 4, 1916. Serial No. 113,083.

To all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, Micnnn Farmer, a citizen of the United States, residing in the .city of New York, borough of Manhattan,

in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in MinerCatchers and Ship-Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

The invent-ion relates to mine catching apparatus mounted on the ship to be protected, and the main object of the invention is to provide means attached to the fore part of the vessel and equipped with grasping devices of trap-like nature, arranged to catch and hold a mine or the like obstruction encountered in the path of the ship.

A further object is to provide means whereby the frames on which the grasping devices are mounted, may be raised or lowered, and expanded or contracted laterally to present the grasping devices in the positions desired relatively to the vessel and to the surface of the water.

Another important object is to provide means whereby the grasping devices will be actuated automatically upon coming in contact with a mine and grasp the latter, and also automaticallyoperate a signal on the vessel indicating which of the several grasping devices has been thus actuated.

Another important object is to provide means operable on the vessel for raising or lowering the frames and otherwise adjusting them vertically and laterally, and for resetting the grasping devices. a a

features of construction and arrangement by which the above. objects are attained, to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show an approved form of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the bow of a vessel equipped with the invention, the frame on the port side being shown as eX-' tended for service and the frame on the starboard side in the folded-condition; this is abnormal but is thus shown for convenience of illustration, and certain portions are broken'away or omitted.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation. showing the frame folded.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the frame extended.

The remaining figures are onlarger s a a d h w d tails.

.1118 invention consists in certain novel 4 is a vertical section through the I elevatingand expanding mechanism, partly ;in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the same mechanism and seen fromthe left in Fig. 4:. v

Fig. 6 is a similar view seen from the right-in Fig. 4.

Fig, 7 is a corresponding plan view partly in horizontal section. Fig. 8 is a plan view ofa portion of one of the frames, showing-the mechanism for, re-setting'the grasping devices.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through aportion of the mechanism shown in'the preceding figure. V, 1 Fig. 10 is a plan view partly in horizontal section showing one of the grasping devices. r

- Fig. 11 is a transverse section of the same Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the'figures.

A is the cut-water or extreme forward portion of the bow of a'ship A; and B B are guides located one on each side of the cutwater, extending vertically and having 7 a T- shaped or dove-tail groove or guideway therein. On the forward face ofeach' guide B is secured a vertical angle-iron C with oneflange projecting forwardly and having notches 0 therein. These parts are fixed portions of the vessel and carry movable frames, to be described, located on both sides of the ship.

D D and D D are plates, two on each side of the ship and extending approximately parallel therewith, each having a flange (Z of T-section engaged in the grooves of the guides B and free tomovevertically therein. The upper plates D D are joined by a cross brace D and also by a cross connection D serving as a 'guidefor a vertical rack E- A similar cross piece D joins the lower plates D D and also serves as a guide for the rack. I

Mounted transversely in the plates D-D is a shaft E carrying a pinion E in mesh with the rack E, and in the lower plates D D is mounted a similar shaft E on whichis a pinion E also in mesh with the rack. Each shaft carries pulleys, E and E E adapted to receive cables, not shown, by which the shafts are both revolved in the same direction by suitable windlasses on the deck of the ship, and the rack, E is correspondingly lowered orraised. On each overhung end of the shaft E outside the plates D D, is a beveled gear wheel E E in mesh each with a beveled pinion F F on a vertical screw F F journaled in suitable bearings F F on the outer faces of the plates, see Fig. 5, and Ff F are nuts or screwthreaded sleeves on the screws F F for a purpose to be described. The rac: and screws are so arranged that a movement of the shafts E E in the direction to raise the rack causes the nuts F F to descend, and a reverse movement lowers the rack and raises the nuts.

On each side of the ship near the lower portion of the bow, is a rod G extending fore and aft and supported in brackets A A fastened to the vessel. These rods, only one of which is shown, see Figs. 2 and 3, serve as guides for slides G arranged to slide longitudinally. thereon and also to be partially rotated thereon.

Mounted in the upper plates D D is a block C containing mechanism, not shown, by which laterally projecting tumblers or bolts C may be projected or retracted to engage or disengage the notches c in the flanges of the angle irons C and thus permit the plates D D and their connections to be locked at any desired elevation or released and readjusted as to height. The bolt actuating mechanism is operated through a vertical slide C by suitable means, not shown, from the deck of the vessel.

The frames supported by the above described apparatus lie on each side of the ship at the bow and are counterparts of each other. -A detailed description of one applies to the other.

Each frame H comprises a long truss-like structure extending rearwardly from a point considerably in advance of the bow of the ship, and has a series of eyes H H at the front loosely inclosing a rod or bar F extending forwardly from the nut F on the screw F and serving as a hinge pin for the forward part of its frame when the nut is elevated.

Articulated rods H H attached loosely to a ring D on the plate D are joined at the other ends to the frame and support the latter at separated points when distended and lowered, and have sufficient flexibility to permit its movements and adjustment relatively to the vessel. Each frame is connected to its slide G above described, by a link G jointed to the frame at h. The rods H H are provided with spring cushioning devices as at H H to soften the shocks due to impacts against the frames or other sudden movements of the latter relatively to the vessel.

On each frame H and set at a slight angle vertically thereto, built out from the outer margin thereof, is a series'of traps or grasping devices arranged one in rear of the other and each adapted to receive and hold a mine or other obstruction entering such device.

These grasping devices or traps J are shown as partial rings or tubular segments mounted in the frame and each containing a segmental bolt J adapted to slide telescopi-- The bolt is shot automatically by a spring J encircling a curved rod J on the bolt and abutting at one end against the bolt and at the other against a partition J in the ring J. The rod is notched in two places j and j to receive a latch J" held in contact with the rod by a spring J. The latch extends radially of the ring J and is joined within the ring to a plate J having upper and lower flanges J J serving to receive the impact of an object received in the open ring and by a rearward movement release the latch J. The curved bolt J is retracted by a pull upon the rope or cable K secured to an eye J" on the bolt, traveling in the slot 7 in the outer periphery of the ring J, and is held in the retracted position by the engagement of the notch i with the latch J until the plate J is struck by an object within the ring and the latch J thus forced rearwardly to release the rod J which instantly permits the bolt J to close the gap in the ring. lVhen' thus closed the notch J is in position to receive the latch and is engagedthereby, thus holding the bolt locked in the closed condition completely inclosing the object struck.

An electrical contact device, indicated at J in Fig. 10, is operated by the closing of the bolt and actuates a signal, not shown, on the vessel and shows which of the traps J has been sprung.

The several latches J and bolts J on one side of the ship are retracted simultaneously by the device shown in detail in Figs. 8 and 9. It comprises a shaft K mounted in the frame at the rear and subject to the torsional force of a spring K cncirclingthe shaft and tending to return the latter when it has been partially rotated in one direction. The shaft K has a clutch K and the clutch is engaged and the shaft turned in opposition to the spring K by a rod K extending to the deck or other portion of the vessel and joined to the ring K on the clutch. On the opposite end of the shaft K is a pulley K to which is atached the cable K and the barrel of the shaft adjacent to the pulley carries a radial spring-pin K adapted to engage in a slot is in a slide K and move the latter longitudinally against the expansive force of a spring K until the pin escapes from the slot and permits the slide to return under the impulse of the spring, while the partial revolution of the pulley K is still continued to further take up the cable K. The cable has branches K extending partially around the pulleys K and secured to the eyes J so that a partial rotation of the pulley K retracts all the bolts J on that frame. The same action previously moves the slide K endwise to release the bolts and the cable K therefrom is attached to each of a series of arms L on rock shafts L mounted in the frame, each carrying a drum or pulley L from which extends a short cable L attached to the adjacent latch J Thus the latches are first withdrawn and the movement of the bolts initiated; the latches are then released ready to engage,and the bolt movement continues until the notches y' reach the latches and the latter engage therein, holding the traps in the set condition.

As before stated the operations of raising, lowering, expanding and folding the frames are effected through cables on suitable windlasses mounted on the deck or other convenient part of the vessel. A cable indicated at M in Fig. 2 extends from a Windlass partially around a pair of pulleys M at the bow, thence downwardly to and partially around the pulleys ll 2 near the bottom of the ship,.and thence in a loop or bight around a pulley M in a block M fastened to the ship. At one point the cable M is secured to the slide G so that the latter maybe moved fore and aft on the rod G by the cable M as will be understood and the frame thus forced outwardly at an angle to the ship, as in the upper part of Fig. 1, or drawn inwardly against the side of the ship as in the lower part of the same figure.

The whole forward parts of both frames are raised or lowered or adjusted as to height by cables N passing from windlasses on the deck over pulleys N at the bow and thence over and around the pulleysE and E on, the shafts E E the arrangement being such that winding both attached ends of the cables at the same time in the same direction lifts the forward parts of the frames and a reverse movement lowers them, or by paying out one attached end and winding in the other, both sets-of pulleys and E will be rotated and by the power thus transmitted through the pinions E E to the rack E the latter may be raised head E in which are )ivoted oaositel exl Pl 3 tending links E E slidably connected at their outer ends to the bars H" H of the frames. The links E E serve as struts with the links G G inholding the frames in the angular expanded position relatively to the ship, and also serve incollapsing the frames by drawing the lower portions of the latter inwardly through the downward movement of the head E atthe same time to present a divergent line on each side from a point in advance of the ship ready toreceive and hold automatically any mines'that may be encountered. V r

By reason of locking the trap when sprung, the mine will be held even though.

the forward movement of the ship through the mine field be arrested, and the ship may back away. from such field while still retaining the caught mine. y

The apparatus may be elevated so as to be wholly or mainly above the water line and thus not impede the movementof the vessel, and be out of the way when the ship is in harbor or docked, or it may be lowered so as to lie about at the surface of the water or at any lower depth within the limits of the structure.

The automatic closingof each trap independently and its signaling means indicates instantly which of the grasping devices or traps has operated, and permits investigation to be made immediately as to the character of the object caught, so that if a mine it may be removed and exploded at a safe succeeding one farther from the ship so as distance, or if a harmless object it may be released by opening the ring and permitting such object to escape.

I claimy- 1 I 1. A pair of frames mounted onthe vessel at the bow thereof and extending in advance of. such bow, means for raising or lowering said frames, and means for varying the angularity of said frames relatively to each other and to such vessel, and a series of graspingdevices mounted on said frames and adapted to grasp obstructions in the i path of suchv vessel.

2. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a grasping device carried by the vessel and adapted to receive an obstruction in the path of such vessel, means actuated by contact with such obstruction for automatically closing said grasping device and holding such obstruction therein, and signaling means automatically actuated by such closing movement for indicating such closure.

3. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a pair of frames carried by the vessel, a series of open grasping devices carried by said frames, and bolts for closing said grasping devices.

1-. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a pair of frames carried by the vessel, a series of open grasping devices carried by said frames, bolts for closing said grasping devices, and means for actuating said bolts automatically by contact of said grasping devices with obstructions received therein.

5. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a pair of frames carried by the vessel, a series of grasping devices carried by said frames, each comprising an open hollow ring, a bolt in said ring for closing the latter, and means actuated by contact with an obstruction received in said ring for operating said bolt.

6. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a pair of frames carried by the vessel, a series of grasping devices carried by said frames, each comprising an open hollow ring, a spring actuated bolt in said ring for closing the latter, a latch holding said bolt in the open position, and means carried by said latch for receiving the impact of an obstruction received in said ring, and automati cally releasing said bolt.

7. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a pair of frames carried by the ves sel, a series of grasping devices carried by said frames, each comprising an open hollow ring, a spring actuated bolt in said ring for closing the latter, a latch holding said bolt in the open position, means carried by said latch for receiving the impact of an obstruction received in said ring and automatically releasing said bolt,and means operable from such vessel for retracting said bolt and rengaging said latch therewith.

8. A vertical guide on each side of the bow of a vessel, plates movable vertically in said guides, frames carried by said plates, grasping devices on said frames, and means operable on such vessel for 'aising or lowering said plates in said guides and means for varying the angularity of said frames relatively to each other and to such vessel.

9. A vertical guide on each side of the bow of a vessel, plates movable vertically in said guides, frames carried by said plates, grasping devices on said frames, means operable on such vessel for raising or lowering said plates in said guides, and means carried by said plates and engaging said guides for locking said plates in the desired elevated position and means for varying the angularity of said frames relatively to each other and to such vessel.

10. A vertical guide on each side of the bow of a vessel, plates movable vertically in said guides, frames carried by said plates, grasping devices on said frames, transverse shafts mounted in said plates, pulleys on said shafts, pinions on the latter, a rack movably mounted in said plates and engaged by said pinions, means operable on such vessel for raising or lowering said plates and for rotating said pulleys, shafts and pinions to raise or lower said rack, and links from said rack to said frames.

11. A vertical guide on each side of the bow of the vessel, plates movable vertically in said guides, frames carried by said plates, grasping devices on said frames, transverse shafts mounted in said plates, pulleys on said shafts, beveled gear wheels on one of said shafts, vertical screws mounted on said plates, beveled pinions on said screws in mesh with said beveled gear wheels, nuts on said screws, means operable on such vessel for raising or lowering said plates and for rotating said pulleys, shafts and screws, and connections from said nuts to said frames whereby the upper portions of the latter are raised or lowered by the rotation of said screws.

12. A vertical guide, on each side of the bow of a vessel, plates movable vertically in said guides, frames carried by said plates, grasping devices on said frames, transverse shafts mounted in said plates, pulleys and pinions on said shafts, a rack movably mounted in said plates and engaged by said pinions, beveled gear wheels on one of said shafts, vertical screws mounted in said plates, beveled pinions on said screws in mesh with said beveled gear wheels, nuts on said screws, means operable on such vessel for raising or lowering said plates and for rotating said shafts, whereby said rack and nuts may be moved vertically in opposite directions, links from said rack to said frames, and connections from said nuts to said frames.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I aflix my signature, in pres-- ence of two witnesses.

MICHEL FELLER.

\Vitnesses VvALTE-R H. Dianna, CHARLES R. SEARLE.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

